Businessman spared jail after drug offences

A recovering drug addict who is planning to open a takeaway in Clay Cross has been spared from jail after he was caught with heroin and crack cocaine.

Derby Crown Court heard how Tusaf Ahmed, 33, was stopped by police while he was in a car and officers discovered he had 6.07grammes of heroin and 0.59grammes of crack cocaine.

Raglan Ashton, prosecuting, told the hearing on April 7: “He was stopped and searched and he volunteered he had heroin and crack cocaine in his possession.”

Ahmed told police the drugs “had been robbed off someone” and he intended to smoke them, according to Mr Ashton, and he admitted he has been a drug user. The defendant told police he never sold the drugs but would help provide drugs for friends that he had taken from dealers.

Ahmed, of Colwyn Avenue, Littleover, Derby, pleaded guilty to possessing heroin with intent to supply and to possessing crack cocaine with intent to supply after the incident in March, 2015.

Adrian Harris, defending, said Ahmed was satisfying his addiction and was not trying to make money. The defendant is getting family support, according to Mr Harris, and he has been clean of drugs after he went into a clinic.

Mr Harris added Ahmed has taken a lease to open a takeaway in Clay Cross and aims to move from Derby.

Ahmed was also convicted for driving without insurance or a licence.

Recorder Helen Malcolm QC sentenced Ahmed to 18 months of custody suspended for 18 months with 100 hours of unpaid work and a rehabilitation activity. He was also disqualified from driving for six months and ordered to pay £1,000 in costs.